Anyone here had a revision to the VGB?

Im trying to find people that had a revision to the VBG. Mine is scheduled for Jan 13th. I would like to know what to expect and what to eat. 

I can't tell you what to do but I can tell you that I have had a VBG since 2002. I have had nothing but trouble with this procedure. For me it has caused many issues over those years and after having lost 165 lbs I have gained 80lbs of it back. I struggled to lose the weight that I did but began to suffer from the almost constant problem of having food get stuck. The many hours of trying to get this dislodged is followed by the drain on my system and the desire to never even try to eat that food ever again. I have experience other medical issues as a result of this surgery and I am currently speaking with a doctor to attempt to revise it. I have been told that once you get into that cycle of having things get stuck you begin to eat soft foods in order to avoid the trauma of having food stuck. This soft food syndrome is so common they have named it. So many people with this surgery fall into this trap of turning to soft foods for their needs and it is one of the major reasons they gain their weight back. I did try to work with a surgeon to see if there were other options other than revision. I told this doctor that I was not able to eat fruits or vegetables due to the fiberous nature getting stuck. I said I could not eat breads, pastas, or grains due to the manner they will expand and get stuck. I also told him I was unable to eat most meats due to the manner they are difficult to chew to the degree  needed in order to avoid getting stuck and even then can still get stuck. His response was yes. And I was like what can I eat then. His response was to not eat liquid cheese, or ice cream and come back to see him in a week and try to have lost 10 lbs. I never went back to that quack. I have made my share of mistakes after my surgery and I can't tell you what to do. But I can tell you that I have had nothing but difficulty with my VBG and have no real choice now but to get it revised due to the other medical complications that have occured to me since getting the procedure.

I guess your question was what to expect--expect to have difficulty eating fruits,vegetable, grains, bread, pasta, and most any kind of meat. Now you are supposed to eat some of those things like bread really anyway, but once you are limited and unable to eat you try stuff until it gets stuck. Expect that after you eat you will most likely have to spend time in the bathroom getting it unstuck. Expect to have the wonderful sensation of having your stomach growl from you being hungry while your pouch is filled with food you can get to go down because something is in the way.

I am sorry if my post is upsetting but I wish that someone had told me just how bad this procedure was to live with for them before I had gotten it done. I believe that everything happens for a reason and I just happened to catch your post.  I rarely post anything but this one was near to me and I just needed to say something.

I hope whatever decision you make you will have the easiest of times with it.  Good luck to you.


Sandi  

I have to concur with you, although my VBG surgery was in 1998.  The only difference is that up until a couple months ago I never even knew that I would have an option of revision because my surgeon (died in 2005) told me before my surgery this was a "one shot deal".  It was by accident that I came across discussion of people who have had revisions.

I just learned to "deal" with the food getting stuck and as you mention the name they have now come up with called the "soft food" syndrome.  That is an excellent name because that is exactly what happens.  I have always had a sugar addition, but it becomes easier to go back to those foods when the good food you are supposed to eat continually gets stuck.

I lost most of my weight the first year, but it has come back over the years but was back in the yo-yo diets trying to loose the weight but it always came back and often more.

I am now looking at the Sleeve.  I can't swallow pills and so a lifetime of vitamin supplements would only be setting me up for more problems.  I am an otherwise healthy person and don't want to deal with other health issues due to not being able to take vitamins.

tracylopez, the original poster said that she is having a REVISION to her VBG. I think the above posters have misunderstood and thought she was getting a VBG. I hope she comes back to clarify.

I don't know for sure, but I don't think they even do the VBG any more do they? I had mine back in 1988 or 1989. It wasn't perfect but I kept MOST of my weight off. They are right about the soft food thing as I ate a LOT of ice cream and that's the reason I never got all the way skinny.

Throwing up was the main problem I had. But it was something you got used to and it allowed me to eat what I wanted and if I ate too much, I had to throw up. Not an ideal scenario by any means, but whatever kept off most of my weight was what I wanted to do.

I am planning on having a revision. I was thinking about the DS but my insurance does not pay for that, so I will probably end up with an RNY as that is what my insurance pays for. I know people on here have said they've had good and bad results with both surgeries.

I hope that I did misunderstand and tracylopez did have a revision from a VBG to something else. That is not what I thought it said but would be very happy if I am wrong.

I did not have as much success as you did with your surgery. I can tell you that I have experienced many issues with food getting stuck and I can assure you that I haven't overeaten to get it that way. I have had so many times that things have gotten stuck there are too many to think about. I have gone to bed thinking that I had gotten whatever it was unstuck only to wake up from my slumber choking. It has caused issues with my lungs due to aspirating into them. My avoidance of certain foods has contributed to deficiencies in many vitamins. I would expect a certain amount of that with any weight loss surgery.

I can only speak for my experiences and if I misunderstood and describe something tracylopez was getting changed I apologize.  In any fashion I wish tracy success with whatever surgery she has done.

Good luck with your revision and I hope that whatever type you decide to have works better for you in the long run.